LIVE: The Monkees at Town Hall, NYC (6/1/16)
Surprise, delight and a comforting warmth were the prevailing feelings during The Monkees’ performance in NYC last Wednesday. Despite the lack of Michael Nesmith (plans are afoot for him to join the tour in the fall and winter once he has completed a manuscript of his latest book) the show felt like quintessential Monkees.
Speaking of surprise, surviving band members, Dolenz, Tork, and Michael Nesmith seem as surprised as everyone else that in 2016 they’re still the Monkees: a strange and unique product of a bygone era. Young men hired as actors for a TV show about a band who then, somewhat miraculously, became a functional band and, for a brief moment of the late Sixties, sold more albums than the Beatles and Rolling Stones combined.
Fifty years after that fateful casting call, here we were at a night designed to be spent in total Monkees immersion. From the merchandise (Nez hats! Davy maracas!), to the deep-track pre-show mix, to the kitschy intermission video elements featuring the Monkees’ Kellogg’s and Kool-Aid commercials, to the after-show exit play-through of their new album, Good Times!, the show existed in a world where 1967 never ended and the Monkees were still the biggest band in the universe.
Monkees live shows have to be so many different things to so many people: a balance between a fun concert, a proper representation of their eclectic and diverse catalog, and the right dosage of nostalgia for fans of the TV show. It’s a monumental task when trying to judge each element individually and how they mix together as a whole.
The pre-show mix was heavy on Davy Jones’ material for the band, including probably the most appropriate “Looking For the Good Times” from The Monkees Present. Every single song of the show was accompanied by well-curated video elements along with dazzling, lovingly restored footage from The Monkees, presumably taken from the upcoming Blu-ray box set. Animations featuring old-school Monkees clothing, bubblegum cards, and music magazines were also highly engaging in and of themselves and really perpetuated the fun-loving vibe so prevalent with this band.
The wide-ranging, career-spanning setlist would delight even the most casual or die-hard fans. Besides givens like “Last Train to Clarksville,” “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” and “Randy Scouse Git” (complete, of course, with timpani and tablecloth), deeper cuts like “Steam Engine” (found only on The Missing Links compilation series of unreleased material), “Shades of Gray” (with Davy Jones’ vocals piped in… more on that later), and “Saturday’s Child” were included as well.
One song that’s historically been either a highlight or a boon of Monkees concerts is “Auntie Grizelda,” and this tour isn’t spared either — but, again, surprise! At past shows, I’ve cringed through what feels more like a novelty than an actually enjoyable song but was pleasantly surprised that Peter Tork’s lead vocals sounded good… like, really actually good! Although in the past Tork has been criticized for his vocals comparatively to his band members, he was on point for the whole evening — in fact, the interplay between Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz was genuinely charming the entire night.
This leads us to the live performance of the Monkees’ new single “She Makes Me Laugh,” penned by Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo. A performance of the song earlier that day from Good Morning America was shaky, but whatever was going on earlier was not happening that night. Dolenz and Tork showcased a beautiful vocal blend that made the pop sensibilities of the song soar. Tork was also able to highlight his excellent banjo-playing skills, which is always a plus since Tork’s multi-instrumental prowess has always been part of what made the Monkees shine in live shows.
This performance also featured a bounty of special guests, including Vance Brescia, who dueted with Dolenz on “That Was Then, This is Now,” which he also co-wrote. But the indisputable highlight of the night’s surprises was an appearance from the missing Monkee. Although not currently touring with the band as previously mentioned, Michael Nesmith was Skyped in to perform “Papa Gene’s Blues.” The technology worked without a hitch, and getting to see and have a connection with Nesmith was thrilling for fans, even though it was merely virtual. (There are rumors — started by Nez himself — that he’ll be joining Dolenz and Tork on the road for later shows. Fingers crossed!)
Producer of Good Times! Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne joined the band on keys for “I Was There (And I’m Told I Had a Good Time),” a collaboration he wrote with Dolenz for the new record, and “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone.” He proclaimed, “It’s the zenith of rock and roll to be onstage with the Monkees for ‘Steppin’ Stone,” and regardless of whether or not that’s true, his enthusiasm sold it.
Clearly, the setlist was a success and the show a lot of fun, but did it function as a celebration of nostalgia for aging fans of days gone by? The answer is, for the most part, yes.
Watching “Daydream Believer” unfold reminded me of my first Monkees show. It was their 45th anniversary tour — only five years ago. Near the end of the set, Tork sat at his keyboard to play the opening piano riff of the iconic song, and Davy Jones led the audience in a singalong. I was shocked at how emotionally affected I was. Watching the audience singing along to that simple pop song, unified in the pleasure of sharing the moment with its originators, is one of the most striking communal, theatrical experiences I’ve ever had.
Soldiering on without Jones has created a quandary for the remaining bandmates: how would they incorporate this setlist must-have without him? During tours with Michael Nesmith, band members have each taken a verse, which was highly moving. Other times, Dolenz has picked a lucky fan from the audience to climb onstage and sing it. This time around, Dolenz and Tork instigated a singalong while Jones’ vocals were again piped in over the sound system. Although, of course, emotional, this moment wasn’t quite as effective as it has been in past incarnations, though a welcome and integral part in completing the Monkees’ story.
This is a minor complaint. Honestly, if you don’t have a blast at a Monkees show, you might want to get checked out by a doctor for joylessness. The Monkees offer a nostalgia trip par excellence, but not by way of what the tumultuous Sixties actually were, but by way of what they could have been: a celebration of youth, experimentation, and music.
The Monkees are on tour throughout the year; for the latest dates and information, head over to monkees.com.
To see more of Louie’s photos and videos of the Monkees’ Town Hall concert, check out REBEAT on Instagram.
(Cover photo via visulite.com)
